The Iowa plain dealer. [volume] (New Oregon, Howard County, Iowa) 1867-1895, 1887-10-06
STRIKEIN THE FAMILY.

Edith NJ. Thomas.
STRIKE IN THE FAMILY.
.sOh, dear!'' sighed Jennie Mason,
as she gave baby John gentle pat.
after laying him on his pillow. if it isn't
after 10 o'clock and the breakfast dishes
not washed vet; and my head aches.
and my back aches, and there's the
dinner to get. Oh, how am I ever to
get through" and something like a
tear fell on baby's silken hair. just
then Jennie looked very unlike the
bright, laughter-loving Jennie whom
John Mason had installed mistress of
his home only two years before. The
youngest Of four daughters. whose
father. physician in a neighboring
village, was able to maintain his family
in modest comfort, Jennie had grown
up knowing little of the real hardships
of life So it was something of trial
to the good doctor and his wife when
their ..baby," as they called 1S-year-old
Jennie, decided that nothing would
make her SO happy as to marry John
Mason and live on farm. She laughed
at the idea Of finding farm life dull or
too hard What! dull with John for
company or too hard when the labor
would be for him. So with her love
for John, Jennie brought good deal Of
girlish enthusiasm and energy to her
new home. Altogether she was de-
termined to make model farmers
wife, one whom Johns mother. q hard
working farmers wife herself, would
be compelled to admire.
Mrs. Mason, ST., as Jennie well
knew, did not have very high opin-
ion of town girls, and, in fact, was
rather inclined to think them more
lazy and extravaganza than otherwise.
1t pleased John fully as much as it did
his mother to see how theoretically his
girl-wife took charge of the house work
and it never entered his mind that she
might be doing more than her strength
would justify. He did not mean to be
inconsiderate, but he had always been
accustomed to seeing his mother work
hard. and if he ever thought of the
matter at all, it was with the idea that
what his mother did, even yet in her
old age, his wife could surely do. He
failed to take into consideration the
difference in the natural strength of
the two women. and the very great
difference in their training.
His mother was q strong, robust
woman, used from childhood to active
hard work. while his wife had never
been called on to do anything heavier
than to sweep ard dust her room. In
failing to think of all this John was
not necessarily selfish. He was simply
guilty of that which brings 50 much
neutrality-suspicious.. How pror .
we are to let others bear heavy bur-
dens, until nature at last gives awa !,
and we have only mound and menu
DRY left us. Then, alas! when too
late, we realize what our thoughtless-
ness has cost.
Jennie was not long in discovering
that she had attempted too much in doing
all the Homework alone, but pride for
babe airy mention of it as long as John
did not notice it or suggest that she
have help. So, although her face grew
thin and she was often too tired to smile
when John came in from the field, she
worked on without complaining. As
for John, he was SO busy trying to get
rich that he never missed tire smiles
that used to make earth like heaven to
him. He was more interested in his
cattle than he was in talking over the
last magazine with his wife. and in the
absorbing occupation Of selling cattle
and buying more land he had little
time for the love talks that once
brought the color SO quickly to the face
he loved. For he did love his wife in spite
of his absorption in other things. He
had only fallen into the very common
error that wife does not want or ex-
pect the attention the sweetheart re-
ceives, and that because q woman
works on in silence she is necessarily
not overburdened or disconnected.
Jennie had been in her new home only
year when baby came, and the young
mother reyeled in the delight that only
another, as she gazes on her first-bcrn,
can experience. She was qnite certain
that there had never been another such
wonderful baby, and, although John
was not SO outspoken in his admiration,
it twas evident, that from the pride, he
evinced in his son and heir, that he
shared the mothers opinion. He took
little time from his fields and herds to
spend in the darkened room where
Jeuoie lay resting and adoring her little
one.
The homework went on smoothly in
the hands Of the strong German girl
John had hired, but when at the end OF
the month for which she had been en-
gagged Jennie suggested that perhaps
Gretchen had better stay while long
er, he asked in some surprise: why,
what tor; little woman? It will bring
the roses back to your cheeks to stir
about and mother says nothing makes
babies SO good as to let them cry it out.
Master John can lie on the bed and ex-
ercise his lungs little if he wants to
while you are busy" So Gretchen
went home and Jennie took up her
burden again without saying anything
further. Her tender heart Qrieved sore
when she SO often had to leave her baby
to "cry it out while he, in spite of his
grandma's doctrine, failed to be any the
better for the discipline. In fact, John
Mason II u,or Mt n r.o1l ~. IT